Directory of Gardens

Meredith Gardens

 

Location 1500 Bonnie Brae
Main Purpose Community spirit, cooperation and friendship
Established 1993
To Visit or to Volunteer Call Urban Harvest for contact info

 

 

Bird, butterflies, bees
An oasis in the city
All safe in the Green.

 

This haiku poem, written 7 1/2 year old Maggie, captures the essence of our special space.

 

The Meredith Gardens are located at 1500 Bonnie Brae, bounded by Richmond Ave., Mandell, and Bonnie Brae. The garden is an inner-city oasis designed to beautify the neighborhood. The garden enhances community spirit, cooperation, and friendship through hands-on experience and the exchange of information. The garden provides a learning environment to educate the public about the benefits of growing food organically and promoting a natural ecosystem. Harvests from the garden are shared in the spirit of community among the gardeners, fellow neighbors, those in need, and charitable agencies that assist those in need.

 

History:
It all began when the City of Houston planned to put the Montrose Branch of the Public Library on the property bounded by Richmond Ave., Mandell, and Bonnie Brae. The residents and businesses on those lots were forced to sell their land and move away. Then the homes and businesses were demolished.

 

Unexpectedly the plan changed. The new library was beautifully sited in an old church on Montrose, just north of Richmond, donated by John Hansen. The city forgot all about the would-be-library lots. They attracted old sofas, mattress frames, and became overgrown, unsightly, and dangerous.

 

The homeowners and renters in the Castle Court Neighborhood Association (CCNA) took action. They cleaned up the property and mowed the grass. One of the neighbors who lived directly across the street from the lots dreamed of growing tomatoes and making the space into an organic community garden. The Association went to the City and through its Adopt-a-Lot program, Mayor Lanier and City Council agreed to approve the plan for the garden. Now CCNA rents the land from the city for $1 per year. Fundraisers, donations, and dues have enabled the Association to purchase a mower and an edger in order to maintain the entire property now known as the Park.

 

The neighbor who had the vision for the garden, Meredith Burke, was honored in 1997 when the garden she founded in 1993 was renamed The Meredith Gardens.

 

Delightful discoveries await the regular or occasional visitor. Bark mulch footpaths meander through curved beds filled with fragrant herbs, unusual vegetables, and blooming flowers, especially those that attract butterflies and bees. Sculptural art pieces and birdbaths enhance the garden's beauty. Various plantings form a green wall creating a visual barrier between the garden and Richmond Ave. Donated leaves, grass, and other materials are used to build nourishing compost berms. The tool shed is adorned with a mural of painted flowers. Nearby on the rest of the Park site are wooden benches, a swing built for two, and a picnic table - all perfect places to enjoy the beauty and wonder of The Meredith Gardens. Twice the garden has been featured on the Urban Harvest Garden Tour.

We are an inclusive garden, not exclusive. We have no fence, and we welcome everyone. Lots of fun activities take place in our garden. These include school children holding art classes, a film company shooting a commercial, and a pre-school playgroup learning about compost and harvesting vegetables.

Gardening days and hours: Group Days: Wednesdays - 8:30 a.m. until noon; Saturdays - 8:30 a.m. until noon or 1:00 p.m.

How to visit the garden: The garden is always open, and visitors are welcome anytime. If you want a guided tour, call the Urban Harvest office at 713-880-5540 and ask for contact information for the Meredith Gardens coordinator.

 

Volunteers needed: Adults and youth are welcome, especially those who would like to turn compost. It is okay to be a gardening novice; we will all learn together. All who work in the garden are free to eat and enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of their labors.

 

Veggies and fruits in the garden: many types of lettuce, arugula, chervil, kale, chard, greens, beets, sugar snaps, broccoli, carrots, totso, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, many herbs, lots of flowers.